This invention relates to support assemblies for luggage racks, door handles and the like and, more particularly, to a support assembly including an extruded flexible tubular support member able to withstand a significant loading or force placed on a luggage rack, door handle and the like, the support member being fabricated from a plastic-like material.
The use of support assemblies for luggage racks, door handles and the like is well known in the art. However, most of these support assemblies include metal strips, moldings, slats, channels, etc., to reinforce the support member thereof, especially when plastic parts are employed therein. For example, a few U.S. patents covering luggage racks are described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,194 discloses a luggage rack including metal strips. Each of the metal strips has a channel shape and is preferably fabricated from a metal spring material, such as stainless steel. The metal strips are secured to the roof or deck lid of an automobile by plastic fastening members which are provided at spaced points within each metal strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,285 discloses a slat for a luggage rack. The slat includes an extruded plastic base and a stainless steel molding which is snap-fitted over the base. The base insulates the roof of the automobile from the steel molding, holds the molding and cooperates with the molding to carry the weight of the luggage placed thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,497 discloses a luggage rack including slats. The slats are fabricated from roll-formed sheet metal to provide a U-shaped configuration. Each slat is mounted on pads, and has tie-down members having a body located within the slat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,383 discloses a slat assembly for automobile luggage racks including a slat and a molding pad, with each end being provided with an endcap. The slat is a metal extrusion provided with channels for receiving therein flanges of the molding pad in order to provide an interengagement therebetween. Preferably, a rub strip fabricated from rubber is received in the central channel of the slat.
Accordingly, due to the cost of the metal components of the above-mentioned support assemblies for luggage racks, door handles and the like, and the cost of manufacturing and finishing these metal components of the support assemblies, there is a need for a support assembly including a support member fabricated from a plastic material that can be extruded and has a high degree of weatherability, that has a sufficient degree of stiffness to provide high load bearing capabilities though being flexible along its longitudinal length, and which is abrasive resistant, in order to eliminate or replace the above-mentioned metal components of the support assembly.